APNs: A Combination of Nurse-Physician Skills and Education - Essay Sample

Introduction

Advanced Practitioner Nurses (APNs) have a combination of skills both of a nurse and a physician. They construct a private practice that helps them to hire physician consultants. These abilities make them outstanding, particularly when providing healthcare services to patients. However, before qualifying for APNs position, they are first required to obtain a bachelor's degree. This graduate education transitions them to become registered nurses (RNs) who then undergo clinical training through a number of accelerated programs, which enables them to provide a range of professional healthcare services, including diagnosis and management of all medical conditions. In addition to their clinical expertise, diagnosis, and treatment of medical conditions, APNs become partners of choice for many patients. State laws allow then to titrate workload in relation to the income. They decide the number of patients visits something that enables them to control the quality of healthcare services. APNs are entitled to practice ownership. This is beneficial to the public especially patients. For instance, patients can have better access to health care services, benefit from both NP and MD, and at the same time, a face to face interaction with the provider.

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The marketing of APN role is a daily activity that ensures patients are provided with the best care. It should not be likened to normal businesses trying to make profit after marketing their products rather APNs market themselves through health awareness campaigns aimed at enhancing the well-being of the community. For instance, health education intervention programs can be applied to augment the contacts of an APN to the community (Buppert, 2018). Different mentorship programs are also significant in marketing APN roles since their programs are known by society. Buppert, (2018), in chapter 17 stated that Advanced Practice Nurses can market their roles through augmenting access to clients, increasing chances for preventive medicine or care for community members. Through embracing value-based care at an affordable rate away from fee-for-service policy, APNs are able to market their roles to the homeless, orphaned or poor in the society (Buppert, 2018). However, the nurses should ensure that they do not compromise on the quality subsequently.

To successfully market the roles of APRNS, the NPs, and PAs must establish a broad scope of knowledge on several topics. They should determine what their strengths are and capitalize on the areas they know. They should also know their weaknesses and improve them. Health care amenities required by the community. Employment contract, and standards of practice in a precise clinical area.

Nagelkerk (2005) stated that a health organization can effectively incorporate APNs who are fresh graduates through effective correspondence with potential APNs. Currently, the health care job industry is highly competitive and demands skilled nurse practitioners who will be able to expertly meet the needs of the patients. Blair & Jansen (2015) allude that there is much to be done for an organization to successfully incorporate recently graduated APNs to the organization. The process of becoming an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) starts when he or she acquires the education experience and progresses as one starts their first job. As the student successful fulfills the educational prerequisites, and clinical experiences, a sense of new role begins to emerge, and organizations should define these specific roles to APRNs as a way of ensuring they are successfully incorporated in the organization (Blair & Jansen, 2015).

Organizations can also help new graduates of APRNs to transition effectively by instilling in them confidence, and self-belief that they can be able to cope with any challenges that arise during their profession. Nagelkerk (2005), stated that the transition from a nurse practitioner program into the job market is an exciting period but also a difficult period as most new APRNS worry about how they will secure permanent positions in the organization. The transition period from a student to a bold practitioner normally lasts six months to two years (Nagelkerk, 2005).The initial year of clinical practice as an NP is the most critical period for cementing and growing the knowledge base developed during an individual's graduate program (Nagelkerk, 2005). It is important that during this period, health organizations build confidence in these graduates through believing in the skills they have and guiding them in the organization.

Health organizations should help new NP graduates to transition effectively in their organization by first laying the foundation for practice within them. This is the period where he constantly advises them on how to conduct important APN roles effectively and instilling the belief in them that the errors they make will serve as a learning curve for them. The second step is 'launching', which means that health organizations should train the new NP to accept their profession, and fight boldly even when challenges set in (Nagelkerk, 2005). During this phase, you will help them to deal with fear and anxiety, lack of self-belief that may be within them. Staff orientation helps them to understand the setting of the organization, and specifically explains the roles they will partake while in the organization (Nagelkerk, 2005). The final way organizations can help new NP to effectively settle within their organization is by widening their perspective. Embracing inclusivity, constant feedback, and organizing for professional courses on Care coordination and transition care. Care coordination will them patients to organize the amenities they get, also ensure their predilections, and requirements are achieved (Fraher, Spetz & Naylor, 2015). It will also speed up the appropriate delivery of quality health care services.

Health organizations should develop an ideal job description that has specific job requirements, and functions, including salary, and benefit needs such as vacation and leave period. Further, there should be a specific time frame be accentuated on potential APNS to spend while handling patients (Blair & Jansen, 2015).The other way is specifying the period they should spend with patients during appointment hours, offering them case management services, and emphasizing the importance of making follow-ups on laboratory results. All this will help new NPs, and PAs settle quickly within a health facility.

Does using NPs and PAs bring cost-savings benefits to a health Organization?

According to LeRoy, Lauren, & Solkowitz (1981), there will be some cost savings element by using APRNs and PAs in the delivery of quality care to patients. The training costs required for both APRNs and PAs are relatively cheaper than for actual physicians on Care coordination and transition care. Both APRNs and PAs can perform basic, and routine medical care activities at lower rates than if the organization relied only on physicians (Arifkhanova, 2017). Most organizations have realized that physician extenders such as an NP can offer quality care, and improve on patient outcomes at cheaper rates than actual physicians. The Affordable Care Act has introduced programs manned by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services focusing on enhancing quality of health care, and controlling cost (Fraher, Spetz & Naylor, 2015).

How would the issues of equal pay for equal work of APRNS be addressed?

As a way of addressing the equal pay for equal work concerns in the health care system. The Medicare Payment and Advisory Commission (MedPAC) have suggested that Medicare's coverage of services offered by APNS such as Nurse Practitioners (NPs) and Physician Assistants (PAs) should be reimbursed at the same rates. Currently, Medicare reimburses NPs, and PAs at 85% of the service fee, however MedPAC advocates that APNS should get 100% reimbursement for the quality care of service to the beneficiaries of Medicare and Medicaid (Wood, 2013). Blair & Jansen (2015) suggested that there should be amendments to the current legislation to ensure that APNS is reimbursed the same as physicians based equal pay for equal work principle. They also argue that NPs and PAs even provide quality care than actual physicians, and that is why most organizations have decided to abandon the fee-for-service reimbursement plan to quality-centered reimbursement (Blair & Jansen, 2015).

References

Arifkhanova, A. (2017). The Impact of Nurse Practitioner Scope-of-Practice Regulations in Primary Care. The Pardee RAND Graduate School. Retrieved from: https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/rgs_dissertations/RGSD300/RGSD396/RAND_RGSD396.pdf

Blair, K. A., & Jansen, M. P. (Eds.). (2015). Advanced practice nursing: Core concepts for professional role development. Springer Publishing Company. Retrieved from: https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=y2EBCAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=Blair,+K.+A.,+%26+Jansen,+M.+P.+(Eds.).+(2015).+Advanced+practice+nursing:+Core+concepts+for+professional+role+development.+Springer+Publishing+Company.+&ots=Kn7VcoD6J6&sig=3OXkW04ntk2iBqOAbaGQlaAb7as&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false

Bupper, C. (2018). Nurse Practitioner's Business Practice and Legal Guide (6 Ed). Retrieved from: file:///C:/Users/User/Downloads/Nurse%20Practitioner's%20Business%20%20Practice%20and%20Legal%20Guide%20(Nurse%20Practitioners%20Business%20Practice%20and%20Legal%20%20Guide).pdf

LeRoy, L., & Solkowitz, S. (1981). The costs and effectiveness of nurse practitioners. Congress of the United States, Office of Technology Assessment. Retrieved from: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/4349/e594ae511c6305336ead73f889565acad36f.pdf

Nagelkerk, J. (2005). Starting Your Practice: A Survival Guide for Nurse Practitioners. Elsevier Health Sciences. Retrieved from: https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=yPGZPTSmnAQC&oi=fnd&pg=PR3&dq=Nagelkerk,+J.+(2005).+Starting+Your+Practice:+A+Survival+Guide+for+Nurse+Practitioners.+Elsevier+Health+Sciences.+&ots=8G6oY92fP0&sig=1oL_TzfXmV5hyXLsA5RVotajzVQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Nagelkerk%2C%20J.%20(2005).%20Starting%20Your%20Practice%3A%20A%20Survival%20Guide%20for%20Nurse%20Practitioners.%20Elsevier%20Health%20Sciences.&f=false

Wood, D. (2013). MedPAC Discusses Reimbursement Equality for NPs and PAs. Retrieved from: https://www.amnhealthcare.com/latest-healthcare-news/medpac-discusses-reimbursement-equality-for-nps-and-pas/

Fraher, E., Spetz, J., & Naylor, M. D. (2015). Nursing in a transformed health care system: New roles, new rules. Retrieved from: https://www.shepscenter.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/inqri-ldi-brief-nursing.original.pdf